Los Angeles city council's Rules, Elections, Intergovernmental Relations and Neighborhoods Committee are backing a proposal to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People Day.
The plan is also backed by Native American community leaders who want the city to acknowledge the contributions “indigenous, aboriginal and native people” have made to Los Angeles.
This day would happen on the second Monday of October, a day that is already considered a paid holiday for city workers.
Councilman Mitch O'Farrell said the replacement would provide "resorative justice" to the Native American people, considering Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the 15th century set off the "subjugation, enslavement and genocide of indigenous peoples across the Western Hemisphere."
“It’s a really devastating history...It was almost immediate subjugation and slavery.”
Another councilman, Joe Busaino is planning to fight back against O'Farrell's proposal.
“I strongly support an Indigenous Peoples Day in the city of Los Angeles, but not at the expense of another culture or group of people. To me, I feel like it’s removing Martin Luther King Day out of our books … or removing Cesar Chavez Day."